


The Third Reel: All Bets Are Off

by The_Cecilia_Egg



Series: Bendy BBro and Alice Angel Starring in: 'A Reel Good Time'. [5]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Cuphead (Video Game), bendy and boris in the inky mystery - Fandom
Genre: ARGT AU, Expired Soup, Implied/Referenced Murder, Implied/Referenced Torture, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Re-purposed dialouge, deal making
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27087880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Cecilia_Egg/pseuds/The_Cecilia_Egg
Summary: Bendy and Alice begin to look for a way out the resort...and may have found more than they bargained for.At least they have Felix with them.
Series: Bendy BBro and Alice Angel Starring in: 'A Reel Good Time'. [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910182
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. A Surreal Deal

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Bendy and Boris in The Inky Mystery](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10726146) by [Mercowe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercowe/pseuds/Mercowe), [ThisAnimatedPhantom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAnimatedPhantom/pseuds/ThisAnimatedPhantom). 



Bendy and Alice spent a few days in Felix’s ‘home’. Well, Bendy assumed they were ‘days’, in truth, he had no idea. He just went to sleep, talked with Alice when she was up, played some games with Felix, and woke up to eat. The clock on the wall didn’t work, and no windows were present. 

Felix remained as silent as the day he found the duo freshly escaped from the Ink Witch’s prison. The quiet put the teen on edge. No matter how much he or Alice tried to strike up a conversation with the cat, he just smiled sadly, never replying.

“Felix, we need to go.” Alice sighed, as Bendy woke up from his latest nap. The cat just stared expectantly at her. She sighed, turning back to Bendy. “Door’s busted. I’m pretty sure _someone_ knows where the spare parts are but isn’t telling us.” Bendy walked past the aggravated angel, looking closely at the door. 

A large gear missing…but with a few tweaks, they wouldn’t need it at all.

Bendy began dismantling the box, jury-rigging the opening mechanism. He began whistling while he worked, a way to add some cheer to their situation. Alice cracked open a can of soup, heating it up. She read the old label bearing the name ‘Auntie Meyer’s Veggie Stew’. Slogan proudly boasting ‘citrus keeps it fresh’.

The angel snorted, turning the empty can over, reading the substance expired a decade prior. She shuddered but continued to cook the contents. They needed the food…if it technically was food anymore. It was more at the consistency of a potato puree, a solid dank color. Alice looked away from the abomination. 

It was fine.

She hummed while cooking, lining up with Bendy’s tune. Felix tapped the table along to the melody.

“Alright, door’s fixed.” Bendy hummed, stepping back to admire his work.

“So’s lunch…dinner?” Alice shrugged, setting out the bowls. “Food’s ready.” Bendy hopped over to the table, Felix looking as excited as him.

“Berries! What’s-” Bendy looked at the mush in front of him, “that supposed to be?” He cringed at the grey puree posing as soup. Alice scowled, plopping in her seat, eating a spoonful.

“All we have.” She sniffed, biting back a gag. “Eat or go hungry.”

“I’m pretty sure this will kill me.” Bendy’s nose wrinkled at the smell. “Scratch that, I’m _sure_ this will kill me.”

“Die then.” Alice grumbled under her breath, eating hers. Felix downed the bowl, turning to her happily. “You can get more…if you _really_ want it.” He nodded, trotting back to his makeshift stove. She groaned eating her own. _Repulsive._

No way that cat had _any_ sense of taste. This soup was a crime against nature. Bendy, Upper bless him, looked like he was about to retch but kept eating. She snickered, deciding to finish her own. Least she could do.

After dinner, Bendy finally spoke up. “It’s time to move on.” Alice nodded grimly, gathering her wits. Felix grabbed her wrist, shaking his head rapidly.

“We have to.” Alice tried to soothe. “It’s only a matter of time before the others come looking for us, Felix.”

“And they shouldn’t be here.” Bendy finished, opening the door. “We have to warn them.” Felix slowly released Alice, looking miserable. “If we don’t, who will?” His ear drooped, nodding and pointing to the door. He sighed and walked away.

“I guess he’s not coming.” Alice said sadly. The cat returned a moment later, handing Bendy a bone.

“Uhh, thanks?” The cat nodded resolutely, then stepped lively out the door. “Guess we follow him.” Alice just stared uncomfortably at the bone. Bendy slowly bent over and set it down. He shuddered.

“Let’s just go.”

-

The trio made their way down the hall far away from Felix’s safehouse. The demon shuddered once they stepped out and into the vast darkness of the resort. Bendy grabbed a flashlight off the floor, clicking it on while Alice tapped her halo.

“A little light can go a long way.” She hummed, smiling back at Felix. The cat looked more at ease but held his tongue. They slowly eased into a pitch black hall, supplies stacked along the sides. No light anywhere but Bendy’s flashlight or Alice’s halo. 

A series of heavy sharp foots rang out over their heads. Felix’s fur stood on end, and he glued them all together in a death grip. He stared up at the ceiling in pure terror, tail flicking wildly. Bendy swallowed.

“You think that was our friend from upstairs?” Alice pried Felix off of her, smoothing out her outfit.

“No.” She stepped ahead of the boys, shoulders tense. “If that was the monster we saw, I don’t think we’d be talking it over.” She walked over to the wall, dragging her fingers along the peeling wallpaper. Her fingertips coated in dust. “No ink trails.” She noted. Bendy shook free of the cowering cat to join her.

“You’re right.” He let out a sigh of relief. “Stars, I don’t want to run into that thing again.”

“Me neither.” Alice quickly turned away from him, walking down the hall. Bendy lifted his light, shining it on Felix.

“You coming, Mr. Felix?” The cat nodded, rushing by his side. Bendy followed the angel down the hall, cat clinging to him. 

Two of three blissfully unaware of prying eyes.

Felix was keeping an open view for the monster. These kids didn’t know more than the Abyss dwelled in the dark. He should’ve tried harder to keep them in the safehouse… He puffed out his chest, trying to feel brave. He needed to be brave for them!

The shorter one stepped on a creaky board and he latched back onto the demon, _terrified_. Nevermind.

Being brave was overrated. 

At least now he could ensure their safety…even if they were stronger than him. The young lady was clearly upset over something, the young man troubled by her curt actions and words. It was times like these he was frustrated he couldn’t speak. They made their way to the main casino entrance, dread filling the cat.

They weren’t serious, were they? _Why_ would they want to go in _there!?_

“A casino?” Alice mused, rubbing her hands against the sealed doors. A metal cage slid over them, keeping trespassers out.

“It _is_ a resort.” Bendy reasoned, tugging on the gate. It didn’t rattle or even budge. “Cuss, that’s solid.” He grunted, pulling harder. Felix set a hand on his shoulder, getting the demon to stop. He gently removed the flashlight from his hand, making his way over to a vent. The feline pried the loose grate to the side and slid inside. Bendy went to follow, but the metal slid shut. “Guess we wait here…” He mumbled making his way back to Alice.

“Guess so…” She pressed against the cage, staring through the doors, trying to catch a peek. “Can’t see anything…” She grumbled, pushing back. Bendy stared mindfully at her.

“Are…” She glanced faintly over to him, raising a brow, arms crossed. “Are you okay? Did I do something or-” She waved him off, shaking her head.

“No…it’s just the energy here is so…oppressive. It’s angry, hateful, and hungry.” She rubbed her arms absently, staring into the void. “It’s…It’s a lot to take in. I’m just still adjusting. Felix’s home was…” She gestured idly with one hand, then snapped. “Safe. Protected.”

“Happy?” Bendy offered.

“No.” She denied. “More like nostalgic. Lonely.” Her blank expression bled into a frown. “Everywhere here is lonely.”

“Well, I’m here.” Bendy gently laid a hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle smile. “So you don’t need to be.” She smirked and booped his nose.

“Same to you.” She winked. The moment was cut short by a whining metallic cry. Both angel and demon spun on their heels, searching for the offending origin. The cage over the casino doors groaning in protest before plodding up, allowing entrance. 

The two exchanged a nervous look, opening the doors as a few lights inside flickered on.

Bendy and Alice slowly made their way into what appeared to be a casino floor in the abandoned resort, or at least the remains of one. Tables coated in dust, some covered with sheets, all bearing ink stains. A larger fountain in the middle of the room, a grand staircase framing the room behind it, leading up to the next level. A stage nestled snugly between the two grand staircases. 

While Bendy was awed by the haunting room, Alice seemed unfazed. Then again, she had worked in a casino for a while…even if this place somehow looked snazzier than Hat’s. Alice picked up a few cards on one of the exposed tables.

“Odd…” She murmured, setting them back down. Bendy perked up, lowering the sheet back on the table he was investigating.

“What?” She flipped up another set of cards, looking more puzzled.

“All the cards are the same.” She said at last. “The Ace of Diamonds. Every single card.” Alice returned the cards to their home. “That’s so...weird.”

“Seems unfair in a game.” Bendy shrugged, looking at one of the roulette tables. All the numbers on the wheel were blotted out. Alice poked one of the slot machines, which promptly spit ink at her. The angel sighed. “I don’t think any of these actually work.” Bendy said at last. Alice stepped onto the stage, observing the wire hinging from the ceiling. Microphone torn off ages ago. Wires no longer sparking.

“I think you’re right.” She flicked the wire, stepping down. “Maybe we should-“ Low humming filled the room, making demon and angel freeze. Both looking for the source of the deep voice, finding nothing. “What was that!?” Alice hissed in a soft voice. “ _Who_ was that!?”

“I dunno!” Bendy whisper-yelled back. “But I have an idea where they are.” Alice looked up the stairs, shoulders sagging. He had the same feeling.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” She groaned, putting her dismay into words. Like she was putting it on the record, as the two carefully crept upwards in search of the voice. Upon rounding the corner they were met with a lounge. An elegant chair pushed up to a door leading deeper in, blocking the handle. ‘ **DO NOT OPEN** ’ Scratched across the door, with a poorly painted diamond bearing a sharp ‘x’ across it. 

The two questers exchanged a nervous glance. Bendy stepped up to the door, slowly pulling the chair back. Alice, with her halo at the ready. Bendy grabbed the doorknob, meeting the angel’s gaze as she gave him a firm nod. Bendy opened the door ducking, Alice lit up to find…

Nothing.

An empty room with a large glass pane at the end of the room. Above the pane read in a light up sight ‘Let’s make a deal’. Several of the lights were out. It was too dark to see beyond the pane. Various warnings and threats painted on the walls. Some were just handprints, still and dragged away. One leaving marks in the walls.

‘ **DEAL OR DIE** ’

‘ **DON’T TRUST HER** ’

‘ **NEVER FREE NEVER** ’

‘ **SHE LIED TO ME** ’

‘ **DIE FOR THE DIAMOND** ’

Bendy and Alice stepped in, taking a closer look.

“I guess we shouldn’t gamble?” Bendy flicked his tail. “Stars, what’s wrong with this place!?” He ran a hand through his fur. Then the door slammed shut, making them both flinch. Lights switched off and the sign switched on, spitting sparks occasionally. 

A muffled song playing over the speakers. Bendy was having a difficult time making out the words. He was able to pick up a few lines over the aged speakers. It almost sounded like someone was actually singing, rather than a recording. The pair pushed down their growing discomfort.

 _‘So if you're lonely… You should know I'm here waitin' for you... I'm just a cross hair, just a_ shot _away from ya’_

The raspy male voice sung, spitting a few words laced with venom. Alice shuddered at the artist’s malice. The lights to the back room, beyond the glass, flickered on. It looked sorta like a dressing room for someone referred to ‘The Ace’. A messy shaped painted under it, too abstract to make out. Like one shape was drawn, then another, and then one more. Alice leaned in, touching the glass carefully peeking in.

“Who's ‘The Ace’?” She murmured as the song continued to drone on. “Think they’re in there?”

 _‘And if you_ leave _me_ _here… You_ leave **_me broken and shattered…_** _’_

“Best player in the house? I dunno…” Bendy stepped closer to the glass, narrowing his eyes. The voice sharp with a bitter edge…that couldn’t be an actual recording. It sounded like the song was actively threatening them… _felt_ like it too… Was someone coming out that door, the singer perhaps? Would they help them or be crazy like the witch? “It doesn’t mat-“

A figure slammed into the glass, catching both toons by surprise. More so in their appearance under the web of blooming cracks on the glass. An all too familiar looking dish toon, though far better dressed. His familiar foam tea colored hair, but now bleeding into an inky black. The entire left side of his face cracked, even to his eye. Some pieces missing all together, the rest seeming held together by ink, dripping down the sides. One eye the normal hazel, the other an empty abyss with a carmine glowing orb. The bendy-straw completely absent, making the figure seem even more out of place. Unnatural.

 _‘_ ** _I know we won’t be leaving here_ ** **WITH YOU!** ’

Peals of maniacal laughter, just as the glass shattered to pieces under their fists on the second strike. Lights blacking out entirely. Bendy back pedaled into Alice, knocking her over. He felt his heart going a mile a minute. His lungs gasped for air after the scare. Both scrambling to get away but just slipping over each other.

“ **I see you two there.** ” The demented look-a-like taunted in the void. “ **Looks like I hit the jackpot in this round.** ” The pair could practically hear the smile on the fiend’s facade. “ **Come on now, let’s see if you’re both worthy to shine among diamonds.** ” More wicked peals before the lights faded on, revealing the shattered pane. The walls now drenched in ink, any messages erased. Bendy was having second thoughts about opening the stupid door. He slowly eyed the door beyond the glass.

“Move forward?” He said weakly.

“Yeah…” Alice trailed off numbly, taking his hand and the lead. “Move forward.” Stars above, what had they just seen!?

-

As the two made their way down the winding halls, hand in hand, they came across a split. One way reading ‘heartless’ in messy writing with the outline of a heart drawn cruelly around it. The other reading ‘hopeful’ in elegant cursive print, no accompanying shapes. Bendy started to walk in ‘hopeful’, for Alice to yank him back.

“We need to be careful.” She warned. “What if it's a trap?” He stared at her, mulling it over.

“Do you _really_ want to go through the door labeled ‘heartless’?” Alice, bless her, actually nodded.

“I just have a good feeling about it.” Bendy sighed, running a hand roughly through his fur. “I do.” She insisted firmly.

“Alright, let’s go.” He huffed, angel just behind. Once they both stepped over the threshold, a loud clatter had them rush out.

The other gate closed.

“There goes hope…” Bendy grumbled, as Alice pulled him back to the heartless door.

“Hush you.”

Stepping in the heartless room, it had inky footprints staining it in every direction across the floor. Differing in shape and size. Some bare feet, others shoes prints. All mingling along on the plain wooden floor. The room had a few crates stacked to make a makeshift table with a chair next to it. A tape recorder sitting plain as day on the chair, and unlabeled tape to play. The demon clicked play, a voice echoing across the room.

 _‘I think he made it out…’_ A familiar feline panted, trying to catch his breath. _‘No matter how much I run, where I hide, it finds me. Just gotta lead it away. Lead it back down to the depths, try to shake it.’_ He sighed deeply, a bone deep tiredness bleeding through. _‘I don’t know how much longer I’ll outwit it. I don’t know how much longer I_ can _…’_

“Is that Felix?” Bendy whispered. “B-but we saw him a while ago…did he beat us here?”

“It _is_ possible…” Alice murmured, “but I don’t think so. The Felix we met hasn’t said two words in all the time we’ve known him. It just doesn’t seem like him.” She rubbed her arms, stepping away to the exit. “Everything here feels wrong. Is wrong.” She mused to herself as the demon chased close behind.

“Alice?” He reached out to her, carefully. She turned back to him just before making contact. Her expression was hard to read but eyes very obviously upset.

“Let’s just get out of here.” Her voice on the verge of a plea.

“Okay.” Bendy gently took her hand, squeezing gently. “Let’s go. We’ll find a way out, promise.” Alice perked up slightly.

“Thanks, Bends.” She turned away briefly. “I mean it.” And just like that, the chill set back in. Roaming the endless resort maze.

-

Angel and demon walked for some time, no sign of life or psychopath’s hiding. As loathe as Bendy was to think it, he’d take it over everything else he saw so far. He rounded, another bend, Alice in tow, slamming into something furry. 

He almost shrieked, Alice’s voice ringing out before he could see or scream.

“Hello, Felix.” She let go of Bendy’s hand, offering it to the cat. “We were looking for you.” The cat responded by blinking and handing her a sturdy wooden rod, previously held by his tail. She took the rod, staring at it in confusion. He then turned to Bendy, pulling a pipe off his belt, handing the metal to the teen.

“Uhh…Thanks?” The cat rubbed the fur between his horns, nodding resolutely, then walking away. “Where are you going?” Felix stopped, waving them along. Then the feline carried on as though nothing had transpired. Alice eyed the pipe, then her rod.

“I think they're supposed to be weapons.” She said at last, giving hers a skeptical few swings.

“Not good ones.” Bendy grumbled, gripping his pipe and staring after the muted cat.

“We’ll make do.” Alice said diplomatically. “It’s better than nothing.” Bendy let out a noise akin to agreement. At least they were back together in this… Though, that tape had Bendy thinking…

Was this _really_ Mr. Felix?

After some thought, Bendy decided it wasn’t. Couldn’t be.

-

Bendy and Alice followed Felix down the long corridors. He seemed to know where to go to find the ‘Diamond’. He _still_ wasn’t talking…which _still_ was weird. Felix wasn’t normally so quiet, only solidifying Bendy’s theory more. Besides, both of them were still busy processing what they saw… _Who they_ saw. Alice broke the quiet first, in the safe audience of the older toon.

“So…was that?” She trailed off, rubbing her arm. “You know?” She gestured warily with her right hand.

Bendy shook his head. “I don’t know…I mean…he _looked_ like Cups…But…” Bendy made a similar gesture to the cat they were following. He _looked_ like Felix but didn’t _act_ remotely _like_ Felix. The calm and collected veteran adventurer, not a bailing scaredy cat. Bendy hoped to the stars above that singing nutcase wasn’t actually Cuphead…he hoped it wasn’t Mr. Felix leading them around. Just a gut feeling he didn’t want the two to be the same.

“But wrong.” Alice shuddered. “He _felt_ wrong too…” Bendy perked up at that.

“What do you mean ‘felt’ wrong?” Alice rubbed her neck, tilting her head back. The demon waited for her to elaborate, tail nervously flicking.

“Well I can pick up people’s emotions.” She explained, scooting closer to the demon. “The strong ones.”

“Yeah?” He sorta knew that. Where was she going with this? Felix glanced behind towards them, likely to assure they were still following him. He didn’t really seem to be listening to their conversation. Just making sure they stayed close.

“Well, I felt two very different emotions…almost like it was from two very different people.” Bendy’s brow knit together. What? “One felt happy, freakishly so. A maniacal joy.” That explained the psycho banging on the glass… “The other sad and guilty. A deep guilt. I’ve never felt such a sharp contrast in one person before.” Alice shifted looking down, a frown on her lips.

“Kinda like he was two separate people, but together as one?” Bendy asked, smacking his hands together, interlacing his fingers to make his point. She nodded sadly.

“Yes but I don’t think that’s possible...or at least I’ve never heard of it.” Alice rubbed her arm, looking around the inky landscape. “Maybe he’s just mad?” She offered weakly. Bendy let out a long groan, leaning back as they walked on.

“What the cuss is up with this place!?” He threw up his arms. She shrugged and Felix shot them a nervous look, motioning for them to be quiet. 

The two followed Felix to an elevator shaft, where he pressed a button calling the lift to them. Once it arrived, the iron gates creaked, opening to passengers. The cat stepped in, heading for the back. Bendy and Alice exchanged a look, shrugging, and following the cat in. No sooner had the duo stepped inside, the doors slid shut and it began to descend slowly.

“ **You two are so** **_interesting_** **…so** **_different_** **…** ” A familiar twisted voice crooned. “ **I gotta to say, I’m an instant fan. Looks like you’ve played your cards right and won a game with a Diamond.** ” Diamond. There it was again. What was with Cuphead’s evil twin and diamonds? “ **Come to me now…Level seven. Just follow the screams.** ” He chuckled darkly as the lift headed deeper into the inky abyss.

“What do we do?” Alice whispered nervously, stepping closer to Bendy. “Fight? Run?”

“Play his ‘game’ for now.” The demon shrugged, shoving his hands roughly in his pockets. Apparently ‘Diamond’ had control of the lift. No buttons were inside to press, so no way to head literally anywhere but level seven. The elevator dinged and sling open.

“ **Come on, step out of your cage.** ” ‘Diamond’ urged. “ **There’s a whole** **_twisted_ ** **world out here.** ” He promised with another dark chuckle.

“Because _that’s_ the selling point.” Bendy muttered under his breath, stepping into the room. Alice snickered softly, covering her mouth. At the top of the stairs, the two took in the dimly lit room.

Just like the casino floor, it was filled with various gambling items. Playing cards strewn across the ink stained wooden floors. Poker chips hanging from the ceiling, faintly moving on their strings. Bendy looked over the railing into an inky abyss. The ink flooded the lower levels of the seventh floor. The heads of doorways were barely visible in the dark. A thin bridge lay across the inky moat, leading to a mechanical door surrounded by oddly shaped machines.

“’All bets are off’.” Alice read aloud, pulling Bendy from his thoughts. She pointed to an old tattered banner hanging above the door. Red diamonds painted on either side of the banner, one on the sealed steel door. “I guess this is where our ‘Diamond’ resides…” She frowned. “Well, how do we get in?” Bendy shrugged, Felix walking up behind them. His ears perked up as the door made a clicking noise, crawling open.

“Guess that’s how.” Bendy shot her a grin. She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “Think he’ll help us get outta here?”

“Maybe…if he’s like Cuphead…” Alice paused. She knew how kind the older cup could be, when he wanted to. The opposite was just as true too. “I hope so.” No sooner had the door opened enough to squeeze through, Felix stormed ahead. “Wha-?” Alice grabbed for the black cat, who suddenly moved lightning fast.

“Let’s go,” Bendy squeezed through the crack “catch up.” He finished with a huff, helping the angel through.

“Why did he take off like that?” She gasped, rubbing her sides.

“No idea.” He shrugged, traveling down the dark halls. “I could ask him, if you want.”

“I’m almost certain he doesn’t talk.” Alice deadpanned. “I don’t know if he’s our Felix. I’m starting to lean more towards _not._ ”

“It’s not like there can be copies of him,” Bendy grinned trying to lighten the mood, elbowing her, “ he’s one of a kind!” He shared her sentiment purely, but they could talk somewhere safe, not here. She smiled as they rounded the corner, only for it to vanish. She became so pale, Bendy swore she was almost transparent. “Alice?” She pointed ahead, arm shaking. Bendy turned, feeling his blood run cold.

The room had cat after cat, Felix after Felix, strapped to boards and ripped open. 

A few other toons in a similar state wearing semi-familiar faces. All bodies vacated of anything dwelling within. Ink staining the floors, walls, even dripping from the ceiling. Boards making a path across the thick substance, leading through a maze of empty corpses. Bendy felt like he was going to lose his soup.

Felix, the one he and Alice had met inside, was staring at another ripped open. Watching him, blank faced. No reaction whatsoever. Somehow to the teen, that made things so much worse. Had he seen this before? Bendy grabbed Alice’s hand. She squeezed him back, the two making their way through the morbid maze.

“ **Look around…** ” The look-a-like narrated, sounding eerily like Cuphead. Lacking the deep madness before. Almost sounding…sad. Bendy squeezed Alice tighter, pressing forwards. “ **It took** **_so_ ** **many debtors to make me** **_so_ ** **wealthy.** ” 

Wealthy? What the cuss did that mean!? How did killing anyone make someone rich? Bendy stopped dead in his tracks. Wait…That’s _exactly_ how Cups and Mugs used to make their living…with the mafia… Alice tugged him forward, making his feet move he blindly followed her. 

“ **Their luck ran dry…and they paid the price.** ” ‘Diamond’ continued on. “ **I** **_had_ ** **to cash in…they** **_made_ ** **me.** ” The last part admitted in a fearful whisper. “ **No choice at all.** ”

Bendy swallowed, looking to Alice as they made their way to the next door. “They?”

She shook her head. “I have a bad feeling about this.” Her expression grew grim. “But, I think we’re about to find out who ‘he’ is.” The second steel door slid open. Before stepping in, Alice noticed something out the corner of her eye. She led Bendy to the mechanism…a tape recorder with an unlabeled tape inside. She hit play, taking a quick step back, just in case. A familiar voice crackled through.

 _‘I’ve been searching down here for days…’_ Cuphead’s voice, the _real_ Cuphead, said weakly. Pausing to cough a few times, the sound making Alice wince. _‘I can’t find her…I can’t find anyone, actually. They promised they’d stay…’_ He sounded, kinda heartbroken, ‘that _they’d wait…_ ’ He trailed off, bitterness staining the last sentence. _‘Unlike_ them _…I keep my word. I’ll keep my promise, I’ll find ya sis…even if it takes forever. So…wait for me, yeah?’_

“Wha-“ Alice looked at the tape in horror as it clicked off. “He’s _down here!?”_ She shrieked. Bendy shook, pulling Alice closer.

“How?” He whispered. “How did he get by us? If he did…” Bendy felt his stomach twist, “did our Felix?”

“We were too late…” She sniffed, forcing herself to not cry. “It must’ve been when- No.” She began quickly wiping away any tears trying to break free. They were about to meet with a deranged doppelganger, they needed to look fearless. Confidant. Strong. “No… No! We just have to find them. Right?” Bendy saw the desperation in her eyes and magically gained the ability to lie decently.

“Right…” Bendy trailed off, heart not in it but unable to break hers anymore. The couple stepped deeper into the darkness. Turning down the hall, into a finely styled room. A large table, with a deck of cards and a pair of dice. Chairs sitting against the wall, a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. 

The oddest thing was the table and half the room was separated by a pristine glass wall. Sitting at the head of the table was ‘Diamond’, leaning back in his chair. Another inky being sitting behind him, tied up, seemingly unconscious. The thick liquid dripping copiously off the creature, pooling under the chair. Alice and Bendy shuddered. He gestured to the empty seat beyond the glass.

“ **Take a seat.** ” He pressed a gloved hand against his cracked face, staring at them. Neither Bendy nor Alice made a move to listen to the porcelain man. “ **I’m not known for my patience.** ” He warned behind hooded eyes and a smirk. “ **Sit.** ” The two slowly moved over to the chairs, each taking a seat.

Bendy kept his arms crossed. He didn’t care if the schmuck was behind glass, it wouldn’t stop him if he really wanted to hurt them. Especially if he was anything who he looked like. Stars, this guy was just dredging up every single bad memory Bendy had about Cuphead. Every threat. Every chase. 

Every. Single. Cussing. _Nightmare_.

He tapped a gloved finger against the inky cracks on his face. “ **Hmm…** ” He watched them both behind hooded eyes. “ **…Now we come to the question…Do I kill you?** ” He smiled calmly at them, as if he was talking about the weather or what Granny was cooking for dinner. His smile slowly took on a darker edge. “ **Do I tear you both apart to my heart’s delight? The choices of the wealthy are unbearable. How’s a guy to choose?** ” He laughed merrily, expression shifting into madness, burning with hate. He snapped a finger sharply at the inky being trussed up behind him.

“ **Take this little cussing freak for instance!** ” ‘Diamond’ snarled. “ **He crawled in here…trailin’ his sorry tainted ink to my door.** ” ‘Diamond’ spit venomously at the poor creature. “ **It could’ve touched me…It could’ve** **_pulled me under!_** ” He cried out, his voice taking on Cuphead’s tone again. As he hugged himself, Bendy felt his stomach twist again. Was ‘Diamond’ Cuphead, or Cuphead ‘Diamond’? Were they the same or just looked eerily alike? A copy maybe like Felix? Yeah, that was it. A copy! Had to be. “ **Do you know what it’s like,** **_existin’ in the dark puddles?_** ” He whispered to them, wide eyed, staring wildly.

“ **It’s a buzzing, screamin’ well of voices…every last one just beggin’ to be heard.** ” ‘Diamond’ hissed, tone rapidly changing again. “ ** _Pieces_** **_of_** **_your mind, round ‘n round like…like a roulette!_** ” He shook his head, more ink mixing with tea. “ **The first time I escaped out its inky embrace I was a pathetic, broken, spineless fraud. The second time, well…** ” He laughed, throwing his head back. “ ** _It made me a Diamond._** ” He lowered his elbows to his knees, recomposing himself. “ **I will not let that** ** _monster_** **get me again. Not after all my hard work. I’m so** ** _close now. So close to freedom_** _._ ” He gave a sigh of relief.

“ **Yes, I will spare you.** ” He decided, darkness returning to his tone. Didn’t they have any say in what happened? Bendy felt his eye twitch. Schmuck was just as _irritating_ as the dish he resembled. “ **For now. Better yet…I’ll even let you ascend and leave this starfallen place behind. Quite the win, yeah?** ” Stars, what was with all the gambling plays? Cuphead never struck Bendy as a gambler. His copy certainly was…

“You’ll…let us go?” Alice whispered in disbelief. Diamond grinned proudly, giving her a firm nod.

“ **Of course! All you gotta do is a few lil’ favors for me first in exchange. A real deal.** ” He chuckled to himself, a sadistic expression making home on his broken visage. “ **Return to the lift, my little questers, we have work to do.** " With that he snapped his fingers and the lights went out. Alice latched on to Bendy so harshly he yelped.

“Ease up there, angel!”

“S-sorry!” The lights clicked back on to an empty room…and an ink stain where the ‘cussing freak’ had been. A playing card floating in the pool of ink. Bendy was just ready to get out of there. He and Alice quickly departed, heading for the lift. Upon trying to cross the bridge, a door slammed down in front of them.

“ **My machines are hungry, gather me some spare parts!** ” Diamond barked, one of the machines by his door dispensing a wrench. Angel and demon exchanged an odd glance before Bendy snatched up the wrench, setting down his pipe. A moment later, the gate lifted. The pair returning to the lift, Felix waiting calmly in the back, shooting them a shy smile. The gates slid shut, and the elevator ascended.

“I don’t like this.” Alice frowned. “Not one bit.”

“Neither do I.”

“ **There are so few rules to our world now…so little truths…** ” Diamond narrated over the intercom, making the occupants jump. What the cuss!? Give a guy a warning at least! “ **But there is** **_one_ ** **rule, we** **_all_ ** **know and respect down here…** ”

“What’s that?” Alice asked darkly. “You don’t seem to follow any rules, but your own.” Bendy’s jaw dropped at her blunt statement. Did she not know how elevators worked? That he could literally _drop_ them to their deaths.

“ **I follow the** **_house_ ** **rules.** ” Diamond hummed lightly, like a parent sharing a merry melody with a silly child. “ **But this is a little token I’m willin’ to share, free of charge. One we all follow, on the whole. No exceptions. No pardons. No re-rolls.** ”

“Which is?” Bendy raised a brow at the intercom.

“ **Beware the Abyssal Ink.** ” Diamond warned. “ **Stay out in the open for too long and it will find you.** ” He said in a sing-song tone. “ **For if you see it, you better hide. If you don’t, well, I enjoyed our little game.** ” The gates opened back to where they first encountered Diamond. “ **Now, let’s begin our work.** ” Alice went to exit, but Bendy held out his arm.

“Stay here.” She looked surprised.

“What? Why!?”

“Because I’m the one with a wrench and I’m a mechanic.” He reasoned. “I don’t think Felix…this Felix, at least, can protect himself.” Alice frowned, clearly not happy but no way to refute him.

“Be careful.” She ordered, pointing her rod at him. “Or I’ll be right after you.”

“I’ll be right back.” He grinned, heading back into the twisted landscape. Once the lift was hidden from his sight, a familiar voice decided to chime in.

“ **Have you seen it?** ” Diamond questioned from the speakers. “ **The Abyssal Ink? They say it hears everythin’. Every creak of the floor, every rustle of fabric, every bated breath. I wouldn’t run so fast if I were you. You never know what will draw it in.** ”

“Gee, thanks for the warning.” Bendy drawled sarcastically. Diamond didn’t reply. He either could hear him outside the elevator…or didn’t care. Both very viable options.

-

Bendy rummaged through the maintenance hall, in search of ‘spare parts’. How was he supposed to know which ones Diamond wanted! Did he just gather until the schmuck said ‘stop’? Grumbling to himself, Bendy rummaged through crates, finding nothing that stuck out. He was tempted to yell at Diamond, demanding what he wanted. 

Then he noticed a tiny square panel, barely hanging on.

The demonic youth made his way over, carefully loosening the last bolt allowing the panel to cling on. No sooner was the bolt pried free, the panel revealed a single pristine gear. It wasn’t moving, nor were the gears around it. He gingerly reached it, slipping the gear out. Bendy held his breath, waiting for some terrible thing to happen, ceiling come crashing down…He pried an eye open after a long moment of nothing occurring.

“ **Are you going to get more parts, or just wait for the Abyss to devour you?** ” Diamond’s voice probed over the speakers, making Bendy flinch from the broken silence. His voice bleeding with genuine curiosity. “ **If you wanted to die,** ” He readily offered, “ **you coulda just allow me to have the pleasure of** -”

“No.” Bendy growled, stowing the gear away while cutting the mad toon off. “I’m moving ya mook.” He hissed at Diamond’s voice, who chuckled as a reply.

“ **Lively as ever, I see…** ” He hummed. Bendy considered asking what the cup man meant…but he didn’t care and didn’t want the Inky Abyss to find him again.

Taking in the room, Bendy spied three more panels. Groaning at their height, he climbed up a nearby shelf to begin working on the next one. A few minutes passed and he was climbing down to claim the next one. Another few minutes, and the teen claimed his third. Once reaching the fourth panel, problems began.

Bendy pried the starfallen thing open to be met with a wonderful helping of nothing. The gear was gone. He scowled furiously at the empty panel, sliding down the shelf. Where was the cussing thing!? Then, he saw it.

An ink creature. 

As awful as Bendy felt calling it that, he wasn’t quite sure what else to call it. It looked like a small dog, but with no face or legs. It had colorful stained fabric tied around it’s ‘waist’, the inky slug-like bottom leaving trails. Droopy ears and ink dripping over its (her?) ‘eyes’. It’s blackened limbs cradling the gear in question. It twisted it’s head towards Bendy, an eerie smile on its sewn mouth.

As it painstakingly approached, Bendy readied his wrench to strike if needed. He swallowed nervously as it grew closer, a smile spreading across it’s deformed face. He shook, stepping back. Away. It reached out and-

Handed him the gear.

Bendy stared at the gear it offered, gently taking it and adding it to his bag.

“Thank you.” He whispered, as the smiley slug drifted off. Bendy bit his lip, unsure of the being. So far everything he’d met wanted to kill him or Alice…save for Felix…but it was _Felix!_ It didn’t. It almost looked…familiar in an annoying way.

“ **Ah. That should be just enough…** ” Diamond approved, interrupting the young man’s thoughts. Bendy actually felt a little better from the praise. Then the mook had to keep talking. “ **…and try to not** **_die_ ** **on the way back, yeah?** ” Never mind. He’d just settle on the kindly creature.

Bendy quietly made his way back to the elevator. Alice vigilantly standing guard and Felix nervously fretting behind her. She spotted him and smiled, even Felix seemed to relax a bit.

“Welcome back.” She greeted softly, as the doors closed behind Bendy. The trio lurched as the elevator moved back towards Diamond’s domain. “Did you see…you know?” He shook his head.

“No…but I did run into a friendly... _thing_ , down here.”

“Oh?” Alice perked up, as the elevator ascended. “Who?”

“I don’t know…I don’t think they could talk…” He trailed off momentarily, the sewn mouth floating through his mind. “They looked pretty messed up, but they gave me the gear, so they can’t be that bad.” Alice smiled.

“The light shines, even in the darkest places.” A comfortable silence settled between them, for Diamond of course to ruin it. His voice sounded…off. _Off-er_. Alice slipped her hand in Bendy’s.

“ **She said I had** **_real_ ** **talent. More to offer. Be better. Make a real change in the world, ya know?** ” Alice looked to Bendy, who shrugged. He didn’t seem to have any idea either. “ **Do some ‘good’. She was always perceptive, more than her fair share…** ” He trailed off, lost in his own memories. Alice tighten her grip on Bendy this was making her uneasy. _Very_ uneasy. 

“ **Still, she was once a very beautiful and smart woman capable of so much…just to lose it all… Wonder how** **_that_ ** **happened?** ” Diamond mused as the doors clicked open back on level seven. The two exchanged an uneasy expression, heading back for their next task.

And for just a moment, Bendy and Alice wondered too.


	2. Rise and Fall

Once returning Diamond’s tools and shoving the gears through the receiver box, the porcelain fiend relayed new orders.

“ **Have ya seen them?** ” He asked rhetorically. “ **The Swollen Ones! They’re just stuffed full a extra thick ink. It makes me cussin’ sick!** ” He spit over the intercom, angel and demon oblivious to what he spoke of. “ **But…it’s the perfect thing for keepin’ myself together. If you’re gonna catch them, you’re gonna have to learn to move quietly. Come back to my door. I have somethin’ you two’ll need.** ” 

Alice stepped up to the machine that gifted Bendy the wrench. Instead of a mechanics tool, it gifted her a sickeningly large syringe. She swallowed thickly, slowly plucking the ‘tool’ out of the dispenser. The door quickly slid shut.

“ **Oh, I’d** **_love_ ** **to see her use that.** ” He chuckled over the intercom. Alice shuddered, turning her back to the door. “ **Little Miss Perfect gettin’ her hands dirty for a change.** ”

“Let’s just go.” She yelped, rushing back to the elevator. Trapping Bendy’s hand in her free one, dragging him the entire way. She stayed red in the face and silent as the gate slid shut, moving them to their next location. Felix looked at them curiously, titling his head inquisitively. It reminded Bendy of when he watched the adventurer write.

“Alice?” Bendy whispered. The angel stayed quiet, clenching the needle. “Al?”

“I’ve got this one.” She said, no negation in her voice. “You keep Felix safe.” He opened his mouth to argue, she fixed her gaze on him. “You got the parts, now it’s my turn. We’re a _team_ …Right?”

“Right.” He agreed, a pit in his stomach. “Just don’t push yourself.” The elevator stopped on an unfamiliar floor, gates sliding open.

“I won’t.” She promised, stepping out. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

-

Alice made her way along the winding halls, an eerie quiet in the air. She kept the large needle close to her chest, trekking down the corridor. Her heel clicking to a stop in front of a large wooden box, severely out of place. It was decorated with various gambling supplies stuck to the sides, suite symbols scribbled across the doors. She placed a hand on the door, wiping some ink off a sign nailed to the front.

“A Cashier’s Corner?” Alice murmured to herself. “What?”

“ **A place to hide.** ” Diamond explained, his voice nearly making her jump out her skin. “ **Should trouble come your way. Managed to make ‘em, ah, useful now the business is gone.** ” He sighed, sounding terminally bored. “ **Just jump in the Cash Corner if you get in trouble.** ” Alice opened the box, peering inside to see a little bench to sit on. “ **Can’t have my little** ** _questers_** **dyin’ on me, can I?** ” He chuckled, making the angel wrinkle her nose and slam the door shut. She wouldn’t need it and had a job to do.

“Soooo,” Alice asked the ceiling, hoping the cup man was listening, “how exactly do I get this ‘thick ink’?” She chuckled nervously, fiddling with the needle. Diamond let out an amused hum over the speakers.

“ **She’s** **_talkin’_ ** **to me…** **_lucky me_ ** **.** ” He joked. Alice frowned at the ceiling. She asked a question, she deserved an answer. “ **To get thick ink, just poke the syringe into The Swollen Ones. Four globs a ink should do.** ”

“Will it hurt them?” Diamond snorted, followed by him quickly trying to stifle his laughs.

“ **Stars, I don’t know! I don’t** **_care!_ ** _”_ He barked between muffled snickers. “ **Just get to work. I** **_need_ ** **that thick ink…more than you** **_know_ ** **…Try to be quick about it.** ” He murmured with a hint of urgency, the speakers switching off. The dark haired woman stared at the ceiling, a sick churning in her stomach. Her dark eyes locked on the metal in her hands.

She…Alice was an _angel_ . She didn’t intentionally try to hurt _anyone_. Especially not anyone who never did any wrong. The tool in her hands felt heavier than she remembered.

A gurgling noise pulled the angel out of her mind. Her eyes trailing up to a large bulbous inky mass, poorly toon-shaped. Diamond said to ‘poke’ the swollen ones…and this thing was definitely swollen. Alice crept up to the inky mass, gently poking it with the needle. The moaning creature suddenly went rigid and popped.

Alice sputtered, wiping ink off her face, backpedaling rapidly. Once her eyes were clear, she noticed the syringe held some of the sludgy black substance. A puddle being the remnants of the swollen one. She felt sicker, swallowing the threat of bile she felt.

“Only three more to go…” She trembled, delving deeper into the resort.

-

No sooner had Alice filled the syringe, Diamond’s ever-so-helpful-voice rang out.

“ **How sickenin’!** ” He spit out. “ **It practically makes my skin crawl! But,** ” He inhaled, recomposing himself “ **the task is done. Bring me back my equipment,** ** _please_** **.** ” She swallowed, clenching the needle in her tight fist.

Only on the march back, did she feel something was wrong. A shiver snaking up her spine as darkness bled across the corridor. She froze as a familiar stretched smile rounded the corner.

The Abyss!

She yelped and the beast snapped its face up at her. An unearthly shriek pried free from its lungs, as it lurched towards her. The angel screamed, bolting back the way she came. Oh stars. Oh stars! Oh _stars! OH STARS ABOVE!_ Nearly tripping over herself, Alice scrambled right to the Cash Corner box. Throwing open the door, diving inside. Slamming the door shut, she curled up on the bench.

Surely Diamond wasn’t lying about the box. She’d be safe! Of course she would. He needed them and they needed him. Her teeth chattered as though the air was artic, knees knocking together as the creature grew close. Her heart beating like a drum. Darkness closing in. She hugged herself. 

Would Bendy know? Was he coming!?

Darkness faded, warmth returning to the angel. Alice crawled up to the eye-hole, shakily looking for the Abyss. The monster was no longer in sight. She cautiously pushed the door open, crawling out back into the resort. Not a soul in sight. No nearby emotions. No beasty.

She closed the door, glancing back to find a warning in ink scrawled on the door.

 **BE CAREFUL** **_WHO_ ** **YOU TRUST**

Alice darted back to the elevator, not even looking back. Upper above, she was done. No more! Bendy seemed surprised to see her leap into the elevator.

“Al?” She clutched the demon for dear life. He wasn’t going out of her sight again. No way. No how. “Alice you’re scaring me.” She swallowed, standing back up.

“Just…had a…close encounter.” Felix stepped over, sympathetically patting her shoulder. “Thanks.” Bendy just held her hand, quietly supportive. The elevator crawled upwards, back to level seven. Speaker crackling while unhinged muttering floated through.

“ **Once upon a time, on a magical island, there lived two brothers. They lived without a care in the world, watched carefully by their elder. The pair were happy in their woodland home together…** **_No matter what anyone else says!_ ** _”_ The last part nearly screeched out, somewhat brokenly. Like he was arguing with someone unseen.

Neither demon nor angel decided to comment on the rambling, stepping back to Diamond’s door. Alice slipped the full syringe in the receiving bin, just as Bendy had done with the gears. The dispenser shuttered a minute later, twisting open to reveal a toilet plunger. This had to be some sort of sick joke.

“ **I’ll make this one simple.** ” Diamond hummed, virtually sounding bored. “ **Look for valve panels. Turn the little wheels. Then, bring me their power cores! Three should do, but I won’t complain if you find more. Please don’t make me regret sparing you. I can cash in my chips anytime, you know.** ”

“You want us,” Bendy growled at the door, “to use a _cussing_ toilet plunger!?”

“ **Yes.** ” The cup man sighed in annoyance. “ **Question?** ”

“No, comment.” Bendy hissed, Alice eying him. “How about no? We’re not using a _cussing_ _plunger!”_

“ ** _Excuse me!?_** _”_ The dark toon hissed back. “ **Tell me** , **do you have another way to get the cores out?** ”

“I’m sure I could find a way without all this!” Bendy snapped, throwing his arms at the door.

“ **Just try it,** **_shortstack_ ** **!** ” Diamond snarled back, with a dark laugh. “ **I’d love to see you break your** **_little_ ** **fingers tryin’.** ” Alice sighed, snatching the plunger from its rest, shoving the ‘tool’ at Bendy, who was about to try and break down the cup man’s door. His red glowing eyes locked on her dark ones, light dying out. Reminding Alice of a scolded kitten.

“Let’s just go.”

“B-but…BUT HE CALLED ME A-” Alice snatched the demon by his tail, dragging him back to the elevator.

“I heard. Let it go.” He shrieked indignantly the whole way to the elevator. Muffled snickering ringing out over the speakers. Alice rolled her eyes. Had her life not just been in mortal peril, she would think she was surrounded by children.

-

The lift lowered, deeper than below to a new hellscape to explore. Bendy eyed the plunger murderously. Growling about ‘snapping it over his starfallen knee’. Felix stared at it curiously, looking as though he wanted to poke the item. Alice took a deep breath as the elevator slowed down, getting close to their destination.

“I think we should do this task together.” She managed as the gate clicked open. Bendy arched a brow at her, glancing over to Felix.

“But who will keep Felix safe?” The cat looked between them, closing his eyes. He gently placed a paw on either of their shoulders, gently pushing them past the threshold. He stepped back, setting his hands down. The two companions exchanged a nervous look. “Are you sure?” The cat nodded, taking a step back into the corner.

“We’ll be back soon Felix.” Alice took Bendy’s hand, feeling a pang of guilt. She was being selfish, but she did _not_ want to be alone. “I promise.” The feline gave them a brief wave goodbye, as the two stepped in the level. “Do you know what a power core looks like?”

“No idea.” Bendy shrugged, dragging the plunger along. “I have a feeling we’ll know it when we see it.”

The two made their way down the ink-stained halls, occasionally running into ink abominations along the way. Alice blasting the groping slugs into puddles with her stick, or Bendy trying to dispatch them with the plunger. Oddly enough, the creature seemed as offended as he had back on level seven.

Rounding the corner, they came across a strange contraption hanging open on the wall it was imbibed in. Something was missing out of the open panel, and all the rounded gauges had the ink level. A wheel under each gauge, likely to control the flow and pressure. Equal pressure unlocked the panel. Item inside, more than likely what they were looking for.

Bendy elbowed Alice, nudging his head up to the panel. “Look out for those.” She nodded quietly. Bendy carefully watched the angel. How the slightest noises made her twitch, her grip stiffen. Her sullen silence. “We’ll make it out alright.” He assured, squeezing her hand. Blush danced on her cheeks, a ghost of a smile floating by.

“I know.” Her smile sailed. “Place is just…getting to me.” Her grip on her stick tightened. “We’ll be alright.” She hummed, though to her companion it sounded more like she was convincing herself.

“Al…Are you-”

“There!” She hissed, pointing to a box sitting on the far wall, rushing over. “So, I just turn the valves?”

“That’s what he said.” Bendy mumbled, plodding over as the angel turned the wheels. “Get the ink level.” She nodded, wheels squeaks screaming across the room.

“I see why _he_ didn’t want to do this.” Alice grit, moving on the last wheel. “Too loud.” The last gauge sat level with the others, panel creaking open.

“And noise attracts that monster.” He replied dryly, flipping the panel back and snapping the plunger to the core inside. Once stuck, he yanked it back. Core popping right out the panel, then popping off the plunger. The demon quickly pocketed the desired item. “So we better move fast.” Alice sighed, as the two joined hands again combing through the halls.

After walking for some time, Bendy found his voice. “Are you okay, Al?” Her grip grew. Enough to make him wince.

“I will be when we’re free.” Her expression was hard. “I…” She faltered for a moment, then tried again. “I saw it.”

“What?” His eye widened, heart splashing into his stomach. She ever so slightly tilted away, face hidden by her onyx locks.

“The Abyss.” She said it like it was a confession. “I saw it again.” Her grip grew tighter. “It…came after me.” Bendy just stared at her, unsure what to say. “If…if not for Diamond’s advice, it’d have got me.” Bendy bit his lip, now taking his turn to look away.

“What’d the mook tell you?” He managed in a level tone, despite his nerves.

“There are, uh, these boxes around the resort. We can hide in them, and the monster’s won’t snatch us.” She paused. “Kill us.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, ah,” He swallowed thickly, looking up the wall, “that’s useful…to know.” He spied another panel, tugging her gently, walking over. Alice let go, turning the valves quietly. Creaking squeaks filled the hall, occasional groans of aging wood. Panel prying open, and plunger ripping the next core out. No words passing between them, moving on down the hall.

They opened a few doors, looking for another panel holding a core. They found one smashed to pieces, core too. Bendy didn’t want to find what had that much force. Any other panel was already emptied. They came across more inky monsters, the two quickly dispatching them back into puddles.

After what Bendy supposed was an hour, and roaming in circles, he was ready for a break. He groaned, running a clawed hand through his dark fur. Alice picking at her ebony curls. Shoes echoing in the aged halls, wood protesting weight. Ink slinking down surfaces, leaving stains in their wake.

“Where’s that last cussing core.” Bendy swore under his breath. “One more starfallen core…where is it…” He growled. “I don’t wanna play these cussing games anymore.” Alice snickered. He glared at her, while the angel puffed out her cheeks trying to not laugh. He was so tiny…and angry. Like a ticked off little kitty…Even his fur was puffing up. She snorted, doubling over. “What’s so funny?” He hissed.

“Nothing.” She trembled. “Nothing at all. Remembered something funny Felix said.”

“He doesn’t talk.” Bendy replied monotoned. “Doesn’t even write.”

“ _Our_ Felix.” She fibbed, stepping ahead. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.” Alice swiftly replied, waving her hand. He glared as she briskly walked off. What the cuss was that!? Bendy grasped angrily at thin air until a thought struck him. She was in a better mood. No need to ruin her newfound joy, no matter how she found it… If anything, he should be proud he cheered her up. Feeling a bit better, and full of himself, the demon strolled after her.

Alice stopped at the corner, tucking her arms in best she could while waiting for Bendy to catch up. Movement out of the corner of her eye made the angel spring into action, to see an odd ink creature limping toward her. It had two neat pie-cut eyes, ink flowing down its body and ears lopsided. The most notable feature being the fact it entirely lacked a mouth, and its arms had a core nestled in them.

“Hello there…” Alice murmured weakly, preparing to strike. The creature blinked, tilting its head to and fro. It loosened the grip on the core, waving it towards the angel. Almost as if it were offering the item to her. “Is that for me?” She probed curiously, lowering her stick. The creature's head bobbed forward like a bobblehead. It set the core on the floor, turned away, and limped down the corridor just as Bendy caught up.

“Don’t run off like that!” Bendy huffed, doubling over to catch his breath. “Wha- what if something happened to you?” Alice bent down, retrieving the core. Tossing it up in her hand, watching it thoughtfully.

“Something did.” She hummed, handing the power core down to Bendy. He stared quizzingly at the core but stowed it away with the rest. “I met a friend.”

“ **You two are quite the efficient little questers, aren’t you?** ” Diamond teased over the speakers. “ **Come back to me for somethin’ a little more…** **_fun_ ** **.** ”

“That’s not ominous at all.” Bendy groaned, lurching back to the elevator. Alice shrugged. “So, what do you think he’s planning next?”

“Hmm…” Alice snapped her fingers, an idea coming to her. “Let’s ask him.”

“Right, let’s just ask the psycho what he wants.” Bendy rolled his eyes, hunching over. The angel sighed, looking upwards.

“Diamond,” Bendy scoffed at her, “what exactly do you intend to have us do next?”

“ **Have some** **_fun._ ** ” Diamond replied easily, making Bendy flinch. “ **You two seem,** **_stiff_ ** **.** ”

“Stiff?”

“ **Boring.** ” He droned, wavering back to a casual tone. “ **Besides, what more** **_fun_ ** **than a little property damage?** ”

“Anything else?” Bendy offered, while the latter scoffed. “Being told how to live by some schmuck who lives underground isn’t my idea of a good time.” Alice scowled at him, snatching him by the hand dragging him away from the speaker. At least it wasn’t his tail this time… “At least I have a proper name.” He mumbled.

“ **It’s a** **_title!_ ** _”_ Diamond hissed over the intercom, switching it off with a very audible click.

“Whatever makes you feel better.” The demon grumbled. Alice sighed, tugging him up to her. Resisting the urge to smack him upside the horns.

“Why do you keep antagonizing him?” She frowned at the scowling teen. “He’s helping us. Offered us a way out.”

“Yeah, in exchange for these tasks!” Bendy threw his hands up. “I saw your face after that mess with the needle! If he is such a _swell_ guy, why would he have you, have us, do any of this?” Alice bit her lip. He had a fair point.

“It wasn’t…great…” She admitted, Bendy jutting his chin up at her words, “but I think he needs these things.”

“Why!?”

“I don’t know.” Alice admitted. “He did mention it ‘keeping him together’. It might be literal?” She pursed her lips. “We don’t need to annoy the person giving us a way out, okay?” Bendy leaned back, inhaling deeply through his nose.

“Fine.” He relented on the exhale, hunching forward. She ruffled the fur between his horns, him quickly jerking forward throwing his hands up. Growling, he marched ahead to the lift where Felix merrily awaited. The feline waved happily at their return, gates closing behind them. The elevator lurched, then headed back to level seven. Alice leaned over to Bendy’s ear.

“You should apologize.” She whispered.

“Don’t push it, doll.” He crossed his arms. Both perked up as the speakers clicked back on.

“ **There was a time when people actually knew my name, you know.** ” Diamond said suddenly. He sounded melancholic. “ **It wasn’t just ‘The Ace of Diamonds’, I had a name…not just the title. The one given by** ** _her_** **.** ” It twisted into disgust before back to sorrow. “ **No...before I had a name. A real one. My friends used it. They actually** ** _cared_** **. We were a family…in our own way.** ” Nostalgia mixed into his mournful tone. Bendy was actually starting to feel a little bad for the guy. “ **Feels like** ** _so_** **long ago. But those days can come back. Yes…yes, they can...with a few** ** _adjustments_** **, of course.** ” And just like that, Bendy felt the unease worm right back in.

Diamond didn’t know how to quit while he was ahead, did he?

“What was your name?” Alice asked friendly, gates sliding open to level seven. Diamond didn’t reply but noises were sounding through the intercom, making the pair pause. Incoherent murmuring, then escalating to faint yelling. Alice looked to Bendy, who just shrugged making a beeline to the deposit box. Alice glanced up at the speakers, a pit forming in her stomach, swiftly trailing after Bendy.

Bendy dropped the cores in the deposit, waiting on Diamond’s next task. ‘Property damage’, as he said earlier. Alice moved next to him, tapping her foot. Nothing. No orders or snarky remarks. Just the static and hushed disheveled shouts.

“He does know we can’t hear him, right?” Bendy huffed, shoving a hand in his pocket, the other in his bag for the wrench. Alice gripped her stick, tapping her foot louder. The cries over the speaker grew louder, sharp with clarity.

“ **The disgustin’ freaks have wandered** ** _my_** **halls, have gone unchecked for to cussin’ long!** ” Diamond screeched as something across the casino crashed to the floor. “ **They’re tryin’ to drag me back to the darkness! They’ll take you too!** ” He warned manically. “ **Don’t let them take your light! Purge them one by one! Smash them into puddles! Kill them!** ** _LEAVE NO TRACE!_** _”_ He screamed, static crackling violently.

Demon and angel spun around to see various inky beings, clawing their way into the sealed casino upper floor. From the ankle grabbing slugs, to some bearing a skeletal likeness. The elevator door slammed shut, trapping Felix inside, but keeping the intruders out. The cat curled in on himself, shaking in terror.

Alice immediately made short work of the inky being groping her leg, smashing it into splatters. Bendy began whacking them away with his pipe, their fluid forms splitting and splashing about. The teens hardly had any time to think, knocking the beast away. Breaking their forms one after the other, like grim clockwork.

Occasionally, through the chaos, Bendy could make out Diamond’s growls over the intercom. The occasional threat directed at some unseen entity. It was a small comfort the twisted toon was struggling much as them. The mechanic nailed his crooked pipe into one final ink creature, ink spilling across the floor. Alice and himself standing in puddles of ink, drenching the casino floor.

Bendy could hear his lungs straining to breathe, heart hammering in his chest. He glanced up, one final inky monstrosity crawling towards them. Humanoid in shape, clearly not though. Limbs angled wrong, all covered by an ink stained lab coat. Golden orbs fixating on the two. Clawed limbs, quaking in anticipation. What happened next, Bendy almost missed.

The creature opened its mouth, screeching like nails dragging across a chalkboard. Angel and demon covered their ears, sirens blaring in their ears. Rows of razor sharp teeth peeking out the inky maw. It lunged at Alice. Bendy reaching out to her. Too far away to save her. He screamed. Terror marked the angel’s cherubic face. Mouth slightly open from gasping. The creature inches from her. Metal grating followed by a sharp pop.

Then it’s form ripped back, ink spilling down the creature’s now split face. Orbs locking furiously on a figure past the questers. A gurgling cry welling in it’s primal throat, lunging at the assailant. More pops rang out, blending together into gun fire. The creature dropped to all fours, lunging forward wildly. It smacked the weapon out the shooter’s hand, taking a quick swipe.

The shooter slammed a boot into the creature’s maw, knocking it back long enough to plant an axe in its face. The creature clawing at the weapon, falling to its knees, reaching out, then melting back into the void. Trying to claw its way out the puddles, until joining them. Axe floating retrieved by the victor.

Demon and angel jerking their heads around to see Diamond just out his door, holding a freshly retrieved tommy gun in one arm, axe hanging by his side. Bendy noticed his other arm rested just above his waist, over a growing dark stain on his shirt. A brow arched on the pair who remained frozen. Diamond gave them a weak cocky smile, flashing them his fangs.

“ **So quiet. Like a welcomin’ grave.** ” He murmured, pinning a glare on the casino floor. “ **I happen to like the quiet these days…Don’t suppose you two do?** ”

“Better than all that mess…” Alice whispered, lowering her rod. “I suppose.” Diamond nodded sharply, heading back in his sealed rooms. Door crying as they moved back to shut.

“He saved us.” Bendy whispered. “Why?”

“Because he’s not a complete monster.” Alice reasoned. “Just a lost soul.” The ink on the floor began bubbling up, then fading entirely from the game floor. Not a trace left by the inky invaders. Elevator doors sliding open, Felix poking his head out his paws. Ruffling played out over the speaker, murmurs too soft to be understood. “Guess he forgot to switch it off.”

The ruffling grew louder, punctuated by a growl and breaking glass. Sharp footsteps rang out, then their next order.

“ **I hate leaving cussin’ games unfinished. Guess we’re skippin’ the property damage. Oh well.** ” He sighed, an eye roll in his tone. “ **Fortunately, I have you to pick up the cards for me. But you’ll have to go deeper than before… Down, down, down into the bowels of the resort. Get in the lift down, send a little greeting to an old acquaintance.** ”

“But what do you want _specifically_?” Bendy groaned. No reply came back. He threw up his hands, walking back to Felix. Alice shook her head, following after him.

-

The elevator dipped deeper in the resort. Lift jerking every few minutes, before diving deeper. Light becoming far and fewer in between. Until at last they arrived on a floor soaked in ink. Dripping down the ceiling, walls, and about to the demon’s knees from the floor. A single light hanging from the ceiling, flickering in and out. The ebony ink reflecting the sepia tone across the dim room.

The gates slid back, with the usual metal screech. Passenger, minus the feline, stepped out. A sloshing noise echoed across the room, angel and demon bolting for the railing. Peeking over as a creature lurched through the darkness. 

It was wearing a white lab coat trailing into the mess, more black than white. Gauze wrapped all around it’s torso and abdomen, the untied ends waving wildly about. It had a plague doctor mask over its assumed face. A whispering golden glow under the lenses for eyes.

Bendy and Alice put their backs to the figure, leaning against the railing.

“W-what the cuss is that!?” The horned teen whispered like a shriek. A soft chuckle drifted from the lift speakers.

“ **Shh…there he is. The good Doctor himself.** ” Diamond chuckled, as though it were an old joke. “ **Skulkin’ in the darkness...always looking for more patients to ‘help’. You be sure to stay out of his sight if you don’t want trouble. Just bring me back the pieces I need.** ” He warned lowly.

“We still don’t know what you want.” Bendy hissed.

“You never told us.” Alice quickly chimed in. An aggravated sigh drifted free from the speaker.

“ **Hearts. Ink hearts.** ” The two exchanged a disgusted look. “ **Trust me, you’ll know them when you see ‘em. Just grab, stars let’s see…one…two…, five should do it.** ”

“If we both go down there…” Alice murmured, glancing over the railing at the ‘Doctor’. “We’ll get caught for sure.” Bendy peeked over just as the creature limped out of sight.

“I’ve got this.” He shifted, pushing himself to his feet. Alice scowled at him, crossing her arms, raising a brow doubtfully. “Do you have the bag and black fur?” She sighed.

“If you see those boxes, hide inside. I don’t think that…thing…will fall with a few whacks, so just run.”

“Yes mam!” He mock saluted her, starting for the stairs. She snatched his arm.

“If I hear something or think you’re in trouble, I’m coming.” Bendy tugged his arm free. “Halo blazing, got it?”

“Got it. Be careful. Don’t die. Run and hide.” He shrugged. “I’ll be back in no time. You’ll see.” Alice shook her head in dismay, while the demon shot her finger guns.

“I’ll be in the lift.” She sighed. Bendy slinked down the stairs, sticking close to the wall. Bolting into the halls, ensuring nothing followed. This task…this was going to take a while. After rounding the corner, Bendy spied something starkly white floating in the ink. He gingerly crept forward, removing the item from the liquid.

The item wriggled in his hand, almost making him drop it. It was…beating? He looked down on the item, slowly realizing what it was. A heart. An ink heart, assumedly.

“That’s disgusting.” He felt his stomach churn, dropping the heart in his bag. “Gross…gross _…gross!”_ The demonic youth made his way through the ink, as quietly as possible. He found another, swiftly dropping it in his bag. A shudder crawled up and down his spine. “This is repulsive.” He gagged, moving down another hall, hearing footsteps approaching.

He held his breath around the corner as the ‘Doctor’ trudged by. Each step followed by hissing gurgles, not lifting its legs to move, but shuffling. He peeked to see the tall creature shamble by. It paused, tiling its head away from the demon. A low rumble raised out the depths of the beast’s throat, eyes locking on another inky creature moving about its domain.

The mask ripped open, highlighting a familiar maw lined with jagged fangs. A forked tongue sweeping over the rocky teeth. Bendy covered his mouth just before the creature moved. His ruby eyes wide as saucers as the ‘Doctor’ leapt clean across the room, sinking its maw and talon’s into the unsuspecting creature. Ripping it apart, limb from limb.

Bendy, being the incredibly wise young age of eighteen, took this opportunity to put as much distance between the ‘Doctor’ and himself.

While running for his life, he tripped over a deceased ink creature, splashing into the ink. He froze, listening for the monster, but it was clearly still busy with the snack it found. Bendy sat up, furiously wiping ink off him. Rushing to his feet, ready to run, he met a grim sight.

Every ink creature he saw thus far, melted when killed. This room was filled with the creatures, solid and long gone. Plenty of hearts floating about the mixed corpses. The demon gagged but gathered the remaining heart regardless. He swallowed down the reoccurring urge to retch. No wonder Diamond didn’t want to do this himself. Rotten work.

“ **Tell me.** ” A familiar whisper rang out over the intercom. “ **Were they still beating in your hands? Hurry up and bring them to me. Now! I’m not a fan of waitin’.** ” Diamond hissed impatiently. “ **Can’t have a full house without hearts, after all.** ”

“You’re sick.” Bendy grit out. “You know that?”

“ **Sick, but alive.** ” Diamond chided like a parent tired of dealing with an irate child. “ **Some of us have to do what’s** **_necessary_ ** **to** **_survive_ ** **…not that** **_you_ ** **would understand. You just run away when things get hard.** ” Bendy rolled his eyes, sneaking out the cadaver room. He looked down the hall, to see the ‘Doctor’ dragging the creature acting as a meal towards him.

He jerked his head back, groaning, leaning back against the wall. Stars, he was really starting to hate this place. Sighing, he quickly adjusted his bag, and pulled his goggles down, ready to bolt. The second the ‘Doctor’ lurched by, body in hand, he took off. The creature shrieked in rage, tossing the shell behind, and pursuing its new prey.

Bendy’s lungs stretched to the max, running from the monster. Years on the street paying off. When a wet slosh sounded off, he dove to the side just as the beast crashed down where he’d been. It turned, snarling and screeching at him, striking wildly at him. Bendy managed to roll away as its claws stuck in the wall.

As the demon scrambled to escape, the ‘Doctor’ had one more surprise. A tail lashed out the ink, snapping into his back. Bendy gasped, lungs void of air, and fell into the ink. He tried to push off the ground, but dark spots danced in his vision. The ‘Doctor’ ripped its claws out the wall, snarling.

Stalking towards the dazed prey below. Bendy shakily pushed up on his arms, straining to catch his breath. Stars, his back hurt! He flipped over on his sore back to see the ‘Doctor’ leaning over him, maw open. Talons poised to tear him apart. Gauze tips flying about holding ink stained surgical supplies. He held an arm up to brace himself, pushing away from the beast.

The creature let out a cry, lunging forward. Bendy screamed, covering his face. Another scream rang out.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!!” Alice shrieked, halo ablaze. A bright light ejected from her hands, smacking into the maw of inky monster. The creature gurling, stumbling back as smoke seeped out its slackened jaw. “Get up, get up! Come on!” The angel looped her arms around him. Practically carrying Bendy back to the elevator, gate shutting behind them.

Angel and demon tangled up in each other’s grip. Felix nervously fretting over them as the lift pulled, the dark room vanishing from view. A final ear piercing cry as the room disappeared. Bendy turned back to Alice, who looked fairly disheveled. Her dark eyes locking on to his ruby.

“Are you okay?” She turned his head side to side, looking for injuries. “Did it get you?” She finally let go. “Bendy?” The demon latched both arms around her.

“Y-yeah…” He held the angel close, heart still beating like a drum. “I’m good. Thanks to you.” If he bothered to look up, he would see the blush crawling across her face while she hugged him back. Bendy was too busy shaking in fear, holding the only normal thing close. Felix held the two young toons close, even after they arrived at level seven.

They just needed a moment.

-

Once they gathered their bearings, the two headed to Diamond’s door to deliver his latest acquisition. Bendy slowly slid the last inky heart into the chute, waiting to hear Diamond’s next abhorrent request. Alice bit her lip, tense in anticipation, especially from their last encounter. There wasn’t really a choice other than to continue but that didn’t make either of them feel any better.

Their luck running low wasn’t filling either toon with confidence. They could hear the mad man humming to himself over the speakers, likely overlooking his latest acquisitions. Bendy didn’t even want to imagine what the cuss the psycho was going to do with them. Not at all. Not after what it took to get them.

“ **Well,** ” Diamond said at last, “ **it seems we’ve reached the end of my to-do list, my little questers.** ” Bendy blinked rapidly. What? They were done? Just like that. As in ‘no more grabbing horrible things for the twisted china-ware’? “ **I hope you both enjoyed our time together. I’ll always treasure it.** **_Really._ **” He purred merrily.

Bendy and Alice both shuddered, a chill squirming down their spines from his tone. They would both do _everything_ to forget they ever even saw Diamond, much less spent time with him…or worked for him.

“ **Return to the lift…It’s time to go home.** ” Diamond ordered, the lift opening one last time, beckoning towards freedom. Away from this inky hellscape.

Angel and demon practically lunged to join Felix in the elevator. The iron gate doors sliding shut, lift slowly ascending. The cowardly doppelganger shot them a weak smile. Bendy gave him a weak wave. Alice a small smile. The cat gave a small nod, curling on himself slightly.

“I can’t believe we’re getting out of here.” Alice whispered, joy and hope starting to infect her expression. Only to wither in concern. “I hope the other’s haven’t tried to enter yet.”

“Yeah…” Bendy trailed off. Imagining Boris in a place like this? No cussing way. He was barely surviving. With _Alice_. Suddenly, Diamond’s voice crackled through the intercom. He actually sounded like Cups for a change. As much as Bendy hated when the creep sounded like Cuphead, not to mention his appearance, it made it seem like there was something redeemable in their…really deep down…

Like _really deep_.

“ **Have you ever wondered what The Beyond is like?** ” Bendy froze for a moment. What kind of question was that!? “ **I’d like to imagine it’s quite beautiful.** ” Diamond continued on, blissfully unaware of the riders’ growing anxiety. Not that he would have cared for their discomfort anyways. 

“ **Maybe a nice open meadow with flowers in full bloom, blanketed by a warm sun…surrounded by trees…a nice pond to fish in or swim the bright days away...** ” He trailed off sadly. “ **I don’t think I’ll ever get to see it…not after everythin’…** ” 

Bendy felt a stab of pity towards the porcelain-skinned monster. Dreaming of a happy place he could never reach. An idea he could never hope to grasp. The young demon knew the feeling all too well. Every cussing time he tried to get a star fallen piece of the blasted ink machine.

“ **Are you ready to ascend, my little questers? The heavens are waiting on you.** ”

Bendy and Alice slowly joined hands, ready to bolt the minute they hit the top floor. Both tensed, like a coiled spring just before it’s sprung. Felix looked all around the elevator, quiet as ever. His ears twitching, tail flicking nervously. It was making dread form in Bendy’s stomach. Did the cat clone know something they didn’t? He knew about Diamond’s ‘debtors’…

Alice flinched when Diamond began to sob softly as the lift climbed higher. She held concern for the fiend in her eyes. Her grip briefly tightening on her counterpart. Bendy was counting the seconds to freedom. His only care for Diamond, was never seeing him again.

The sobs growing more ragged made that pit in Bendy’s gut grow harder. Something wasn’t right. Slowly the sobs turned into twisted maniacal laughter. Bendy could practically see that crooked shattered smile. The lift stopped. The demonic youth could see the first floor of this hell-hole! No. NO! He couldn’t do this! He _promised_ to let them go!

Then the elevator dropped.

“ **Did you really think I’d just let you two** **_steal_ ** **from me!? Did you really think I’d just let you both** **_go_ ** **!?** ” Diamond screamed as the mechanism dropped, sparks flying into the cage. “ **After everythin’ you did to me!?** ” Alice cried out, latching onto Bendy. He was clutching the angel for dear life as well. Even wrapping his tail around her waist for good measure. Felix covered his ears, squeezing his eyes shut, shaking horribly.

“W-We didn’t steal anything!” Alice called out fearfully. “W-We…we gave you what you asked for!”

“ **LIAR!** ” He screamed back at her.

“We didn’t you crazy mook!” Bendy snapped back. Diamond let out a cruel laugh.

“ **But you did. No, Bendy and Alice! I** **_know_ ** **who** **_you_ ** **are! And I** **_know_ ** **why you’re here! And you will** **_not_ ** **stop what** **_needs_ ** **to be done!** ” What the ever loving cuss was he talking about!? How did he know who they were? No one else down here did, not even the cowering cat clone in the corner. “ **Now come down and** **_bring me back my Felix_ ** **!** ” Diamond ordered in maniacal rage. “ **It’s the most perfect Felix I’ve ever seen, and I want it!** **_I need it_ ** _._ ” He demanded.

“Get your own!” Bendy spit viciously at the intercom, eyes lighting up. “He’s our friend.”

“He’s staying with us you…you _monster_!” Alice snapped back. “You’ve had plenty!”

“ **_Not enough!_ ** _”_ Diamond laughed madly at the angel. “ **I need it’s insides so I can be whole again! So I can be** **_free!_ ** **So** **_we_ ** **can be** **_free!_ ** **Don’t you** **_understand_ ** **?** **_Don’t you get it!?_ ** ” Bendy felt sick. So that’s why all those copycats were torn asunder. What the hearts were actually for. He was cussing _consuming them_ ! Alice was looking a little green herself. No, he did in fact not understand. He did not understand how someone could be so vile and still exist. Still think they deserved freedom. “ **Give him to me!!** ”

“No!” Bendy snapped just as Alice screamed her reply.

“Never!”

“ **Fine.** ” Diamond replied, sounding far too pleased with himself. “ **Then I’ll take him!** ” He exclaimed joyfully. “ **Don’t you know the house always wins!?** ” Diamond cackled.

“You can try!” Bendy challenged, pulling the frightened feline into his and Alice’s embrace. The angel easily accepting the terrified toon. The cat just shook wildly.

“ **Oh, it’ll be easy.** ” Diamond’s voice was a smile dripping with poison. A hidden dagger before plunging it into a trusted friend's back. All three toons in the lift lurched as it gained speed. “ **Once** ” More sparks flew in, forcing the three to huddle. “ **you’re** ” The elevator shook violently, threatening to tear itself apart. Bendy looked up, his eyes meeting Alice’s. She looked as terrified as he felt. “ **DEAD!!** ” He screamed as the elevator met the floor.

-

Bendy slowly sat up, darkness spotting his vision. His head felt stuffed with cotton…and he felt _so tired_. He tried to push off the ground, but everything hurt. Why was he on the ground? His gaze sluggishly slid to Alice. Why was she on the floor too? They were…somewhere else. No, they were going somewhere.

She lay prone on the floor, facing away from him. Felix shook her desperately, panicking. Bendy wanted to assure the cat…of…something. A familiar humming cut through his thoughts, as he saw the cat lift clean away from the comatose celestial. 

Diamond himself, in all his insane twisted glory. He smirked at the cat in his clutches. Felix struggling, but clearly doing nothing against his captor. The cracked cup slowly, purposefully walked over to Bendy, crouching to be eye level. He gifted the demon a sadistic smirk.

“ **I** **_tried_ ** **.** ” Was all he said, before standing up. “ **And you** **_lost_ ** **.** ” He lifted a single boot and Bendy’s world sank back into darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave comments or questions. This one took awhile, so if there is anything wrong or confusing, please let me know.
> 
> Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
